Self-rotatable and replaceable heel



Oct. 20, 1959 A; BERKE 2,908,983

SELF-ROTATABLEY AND REPLACEABLEl HEEL Filed Sept. 19, 1958 /7 9 J6 I 3 FI G. 2

INVENTOR.

2022 fled e 71m 7 wa ATTORN EY United States Patent ftice 2,908,983Patented Oct..20, 1959 SELF ROTATABLE AND REPLACEABLE HEEL Aaron Berke,New York, NY. V Application September 19, 1958, Serial No. 762,103

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 36-39) I have invented an improvement in heels forshoes; especially a heel having a part or member which can be replacedwith a minimum of mechanical effort, without implements or tools when itis deformed because of prolonged use. I

An object of the invention is to provide a heel having a replaceablemember which is so attached to the body of the heel on a shoe that itwill revolve continually bit by bit, as the wearer of the shoe takessuccessive steps, thus bringing a small separate portion of the surfaceof said member into position at each step, and distributing the wear dueto the friction of the heel against the sidewalk or other surface evenlyover the entire periphery of said member. Hence erosion at anyparticular part of the replaceable member is thus avoided. The heel thusretains its shape, in addition and walking is made easier and morecomfortable.

As is well known, heels on shoes usually wear down at the back, and thewear is not confined to the middle of the heel at the rear portionthereof. Instead, the erosive effect is more pronounced along one sideof the heel; in most cases the outer side at the rear end. Such a heelthus not only becomes unsightly, but also it imposes stresses upon thefoot of the wearer, and often very troublesome anatomical eifects on thebones of the foot and leg are entailed.

My invention eliminates these drawbacks by providing a heel with areplaceable member, so connected to the heel that not only can it beeasily replaced when worn away with use, but also is united to the heelin such a way that it can turn by degrees, thus always presenting adifferent area to the part of the heel that receives most of theabrasive action. The erosion or wearing away of the heel is thus spreadover the entire outline of the replaceable member, and the height of theheel remains substantially constant for virtually the whole length ofthe rear edge on both sides of the shoe to which the heel is attached.All stresses on the wearers foot are thus eliminated.

These and other objects and the complete advantages of my improvementare clearly set forth hereinafter, and

the novel characteristics are defined in the appended claims. Thedrawings illustrate an embodiment of my invention, but this disclosureis by way of example only, and changes'in various respects can be madewithout departure or deviation from the general design in which theinvention resides.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a side view of a cushion heel with a rotatable andreplaceable member attached to the rear portion thereof.

Figure 2 is a view in cross-section of the replaceable member.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan of the heel that is shown in- Figure 4 is abottom plans of the portion of the replaceable member of the heel shownin Figure 2. Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing thereplaceable member in full side elevation. Referring first to Figures 1to 4, I indicate at 1 the part of the outer sole of the shoe having atthe rear end a heel comprising a thick front portion 2, a reducedrelatively thin extension 3, and a replaceable member 4, which issubstantially circular in outline. The high part 2 of the heel isconcave on the sideadjacent the member 4,

' so as to conform to the shape of this member as indicated When thesection 4 is joined to the heel, it lies under the lower face of theextension 3.' It. is united to the heel with a thin layer of leatheror-other material 6 between the upper face of the member 4 and the lowerface of the extension 3; and as the member 4 is generally made of somecushioning substance or material, such as rubber, the weight of thewearer of the shoe as he lets his full weight come down upon it, usuallypresses the member 4 more or less forcibly against the layer 6. But justbefore this, as the heel engages the'surface on which the wearer of theshoe is treading, the replaceable member 4 is usually rotated through ashort are generally in a forward direction, along the edge at the outerside of the shoe. This partial rotation, which is repeated from stepto'step,

brings a new part of the member 4 into position at the point where themost wear takes place, and the erosion wear is thus evenly distributedover the entire outline of the member, besides giving the walker greatercomfort and freedom from the tiring effects that he would sooner orlater otherwise feel, if the member 4 remained stationary .and did notrotate at all.

To attach the member 4 to the reduced portion of the heel 3, a stud 9 ismade fast to the layer 6 which is secured to the extension 3. This stud9 has an enlarged rounded head 10, the edge of which forms an extendedshoulder with the stud 9; and the member 4 has a central cavity 11 withan incut groove forming a shoulder 12 at its inner end. As the member 4will stretch, it can be easily forced against the layer 6 so that thestud 9 will enter the cavity 11, which is no wider than the thickness ofthe stud 9, but less wide than the head 10, and the portions around theaperture 11 will stretch and permit the head 10 to enter the groove 12at the inner end of the cavity 11, and the shoulder on the head willengage with the incut shoulder 12 of the member 4. The member 4 is thusfree to rotate and whenever it should be replaced, it can easily bepulled 01f the stud 9; but in ordinary use it will remain aflixedrotatably to the layer 6.

The end or outer surface of the member 4 is provided with a radial ribs13 extending outward from a central projection 14. The spaces betweenthese ribs 14 are open around the circumference of the member 4, so thatin ordinary use the under-surface of the member 4 cannot be pressedagainst the surface of the walk and stick thereto by vacuum-cup efiect.

The face of the layer 6 adjacent the member 4 bears a metal washer 15surrounding the stud 9. On the opposite face of this layer is a washer16, against which the adjacent end of the stud is riveted, as shown at19. The layer may be nailed or otherwise afiixed to the section 3 aroundthe stud 9. The layer 6 is firmly attached to the thin extension 3 bynails or other fastening means and it holds the stud 9 firmly andtightly in position. The thin extension 3 may be recessed on its outerface to provide a seat for the stud 9, if desired.

The stud is afiixed to the layer 6, which is between the two washers 15and 16. This washer is therefore spaced slightly from the member 4 sothat, when the weight of the wearer of the shoe is pressed down upon themember 4, this member is not only free to rotate but can bend slightlyagainst the layer 6, and as this layer 6 is of leather, which isflexible, the. layer can be. bentagainst the extension 3. Thisconstruction thus adds to the cushioning effect of the material of whichthe member 4 is made; the stud- 9 being secured. to the layer 6 and'thislayer being secured to the extension 3,. both the stud and the layer arethus tightly affixed to the heel and the member 4 can be pulled oif forreplacement and a new member attached easily and quickly, withoutdetaching or loosening the stud.

' Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

l. A heel having a relatively thin extension adjacent its rear end, alayer disposed under said extension, a stud in said layer andprojecting'from the lower surface there of, said stud having a head onits upper end and a washer thereon adjacent said head, the washer andhead being located'between the upper face of said layer and saidextension, a replaceable yieldable member adjacent the lower face ofsaidlayer, said stud'also having an enlarged head with surroundingshoulder projecting sideways from the stud at its lower end, a secondWasher surrounding said stud adjacent its lower end, but spaced fromsaid enlarged head, the layer being located between said washers, thelayer being secured to said extension, said member having a cavity toreceive the lower end of said stud and be detachably secured to saidlayer and extension, and free to rotate automatically at each step takenby the wearer of the shoe, said cavity having a relatively large recesswith an undercut shoulder at the inner end of said cavity, the enlargedhead of said stud fitting said recess with the said enlarged headengaging said shoulder, said member having a central projection andradial ribs on its lower surface.

2. A heel having a relatively thin extension adjacent its rear end, astud secured to the heel adjacent said extension, and projecting belowthe extension, said stud having a head on its upper end and a washerthereon under said head, the washer and head being located adjacent saidextension, a replaceable yieldable member adjacent the lower face ofsaid extension, said stud also having an enlargedheadwith surroundingshoulder projecting sideways from the stud at its lower end, a secondwasher surrounding said stud adjacent its lower end, but spaced fromsaid enlarged head, said member havingv a cavity closed on the outerface of said member to receive the lower end of said stud and bedetachably secured to said extension, and free to rotate automaticallyat each step taken by the wearer of the shoe, said cavity having arelatively large recess with an undercut shoulder at the inner end. ofsaid cavity, the enlarged head of said. stud fitting said recess withthe said enlarged head engaging said shoulder, said member having acentral projection and radial ribs on its lower surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS220,629 Massey et a1. Oct. 14, 1879 1,585,220 Willis May 18, 19262,288,168 Leu June 30, 1942 2,645,864 Ballasch July 21, 1953 2,776,502Taylor Jan. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 397,841 France Mar. 9, 1909 hUt

